Bible in 365 Days – Day 180

Focus Chapters:

• Isaiah 1:21-31
• Isaiah 2-5

Standout Verse(s):

Isaiah 5:1-7 NLT

Now I will sing for the one I love
a song about his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard
on a rich and fertile hill.
He plowed the land, cleared its stones,
and planted it with the best vines.
In the middle he built a watchtower
and carved a winepress in the nearby rocks.
Then he waited for a harvest of sweet grapes,
but the grapes that grew were bitter.

Now, you people of Jerusalem and Judah,
you judge between me and my vineyard.
What more could I have done for my vineyard
that I have not already done?
When I expected sweet grapes,
why did my vineyard give me bitter grapes?

Now let me tell you
what I will do to my vineyard:
I will tear down its hedges
and let it be destroyed.
I will break down its walls
and let the animals trample it.
I will make it a wild place
where the vines are not pruned and the ground is not hoed,
a place overgrown with briers and thorns.
I will command the clouds
to drop no rain on it.

The nation of Israel is the vineyard of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
The people of Judah are his pleasant garden.
He expected a crop of justice,
but instead he found oppression.
He expected to find righteousness,
but instead he heard cries of violence.

Observation (s):

1. God tended over His vineyard, Israel, in love, expecting His efforts to yield sweet fruit.
   
   

   My beloved had a vineyard
   on a rich and fertile hill.
   He plowed the land, cleared its stones,
   and planted it with the best vines.
   In the middle he built a watchtower
   and carved a winepress in the nearby rocks.
   Then he waited for a harvest of sweet grapes,
   but the grapes that grew were bitter.

   
   
2. Despite God’s care and efforts, Israel and Judah yielded bitter fruit.
   
   

   
   

   Then he waited for a harvest of sweet grapes,
   but the grapes that grew were bitter.

   
   

   
   

   Now, you people of Jerusalem and Judah,
   you judge between me and my vineyard.
   What more could I have done for my vineyard
   that I have not already done?
   When I expected sweet grapes,
   why did my vineyard give me bitter grapes?

   
   

   
   
3. Given its tendency to bear bad fruit, God made a decision to destroy His beloved vineyard, Israel.
   
   

   Now let me tell you
   what I will do to my vineyard:
   I will tear down its hedges
   and let it be destroyed.
   I will break down its walls
   and let the animals trample it.
   I will make it a wild place
   where the vines are not pruned and the ground is not hoed,
   a place overgrown with briers and thorns.
   I will command the clouds
   to drop no rain on it.

Application:

Have you ever worked really hard to accomplish a goal in the hopes of reaping its good rewards? How much time and effort did you put in? What if years upon years you put in all this time and effort for naught? Your goal remains unaccomplished and you reap only bitter fruits. Your expectations are not met! Would you continue to labour for naught?

God laboured over Israel and Judah, His vineyard. He ensured the soil was rich and fertile. He beautified the environment and ensured it was set up for a good harvest. Despite all His efforts, on harvest day, the vineyard returns bad crop. Could anyone fault His disappointment and decision to let the vineyard go to waste?

God invests His time and energies into ensuring you reap the fruits of your purpose. Through all of His efforts, God has certain expectations of you. Don’t expect to continuously fail God’s expectations without consequences. A day of reckoning will come. Don’t let Him give up on you. Meet the targets!